


Snapshot

by terasite



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst?, F/M, Fluff, Gore, Ill add as i go, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), abuse in ch3, mostly fluffy, no beta we die like men, not too much atleast right now, oh yeah mutual pining, probably wont get to bad, reader is a punk ass bitch btw, slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-03-06 07:46:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18846697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terasite/pseuds/terasite
Summary: A 'starving' artist trying to get into art school searches for the perfect shot, and finds a muse in the process. or something like that





	1. May, 16th, 2040

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! before you read please download the 'Interactive Fics' extension, with it you can change 'your name' to whatever you want! It makes the reading experience much more enjoyable!

 

 

> Downtown Detroit,
> 
> ##### somewhere…
> 
> ##### 1:58 P.M

_\--opefully everyone’s had a good lunch in Detroit, I know I did, had a lovely tuna sandwich! Anyway, what you just heard was Money for Nothing, Dire Straits of course and after that was Round and Round by Ratt - with two ‘t’s by the way. In a moment we’ll cut to weather and after that we’ll be right back to filling your eardrums with sweet rock and alternative._

The rumble of a trying engine grew as the small moped lurched forward at the green light. The bright sun of Detroit shining off it’s silver finish.

_Bright spring day here in Detroit! Settling at a comfy 63 degrees - watch out! Before you know it we’ll all be running to our sunglasses and sunscreen! Looks like the rest of the week will be following up in a similar fashion, with a chance of some sprinkles on Thursday evening. To bad I know even the sun can’t fix some of your Monday blues out there- agh! Enjoy your Sunday while it lasts folks!_

The small bag of groceries shakes against the harsh wind. You notice just how far you are behind the SUV in front of you. ' _No way am I letting that mom mobile shame me_.' You grip the handles of your bike and press your foot on the gas; Imagining yourself on a Harley or a Triumph, wind blowing through your hair. A modern day Danica Patrick. Your daydream is instantly shot down when the SUV halts and begins to slowly proceed to the lane over.  _'Thank god I just got those breaks repaired.'_

Curiosity getting the better of you, you peer past the van and notice the officer moving the vehicles along. Slowly pushing forward reveals holographic yellow-tape and … and …

**106.7! Detroit’s Wheelsssss! Your home for the loudest ROCK!**

“Shit!” You hiss, as you quickly turn the volume down. You sigh and look back up at the scene before you. Inching forward with anticipation you pass a police cruiser and reveals a tragic scene. There on the concrete lies a body. Limbs twisted unnaturally. Shards of glass surround what you think was a woman at one point. Her head thankfully twisted away from you. A small crowd of people had formed and upon further observation you notice two children. A young man and a small girl clinging to him, sobbing into his side. Nosy as you are you pull over across the street and park.

Leaning against your ~~bike~~ moped, you rummage around in your bag of goodies. ‘Now’s a good a time than ever for lunch I suppose,’ you pull out a deli sandwich and unwrap it, clicking your radio back on but lowering it slightly. Lifting your eyes back up you bite down, savoring the flavor of pleasure of mayo and slight guilt at eating in the presence of the recently deceased. Mid-chew you notice a battered up oldsmobile pull up to the sidewalk in a rush, nearly colliding with the officer directing traffic. _'Relatives maybe?'_ The real question is how is that dinosaur still running in 2040, actually.

Two figures exit the car, you focus your attention to them. A older man trudges to the traffic officer, flashing a badge and looking towards the body. Another man quickly follows behind and you damn near choke on a piece of salami. You notice the blue circle on his temple but barely pay thought to it. From a distance you admire his clean cut features and snazzy haircut. He looks straight out of a Hitchcock film and you mentally thank CyberLife for keeping 40’s men’s fashion alive (even though barely anyone has style in this city.) On top of that his uniform compliments him perfectly, though you wonder why he chooses to keep it. Nowadays androids blended in almost seamlessly into society and yet the band around his arm, LED and other details are a dead giveaway…

He pulls your thoughts back to the present as he swiftly moves towards the body. Kneeling next to the woman, a puzzled look appears on his face as if this woman was the most interesting in the world to him. He places his index finger and thumb on his chin in contemplation and that’s when it hits you: This would be a **perfect** photo for your Behind Yellow Tape set. Usually you ask for permission beforehand, but you didn’t feel like stopping traffic, interrupting an investigation, and getting awkward in front of him, amongst other things.

Putting away your half eaten lunch and taking your backpack off your back, you fish around for your digital camera in a hurry. Eyes darting back up hoping for your shot to still be there you find the pesky Nikon and point it in his direction. Zooming in you get a better look at him and groan in frustration. Even more handsome up close, well, sorta up close. Adjusting the frame meticulously you settle on a shot, his hand now outstretched to further inspect the victim. Quickly switching to ‘aperture priority’ mode the harshness of the building behind him fade away. The red and blue of the police lights meld into a soft magenta and now the only thing in focus is him. Not wasting another second you take the shot, letting out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. A car slowly makes its way in front of you and you realize you got the shot in the nick of time. Excitedly you look over the photo and feel a sense of accomplishment.

_‘Well done, me! You just guaranteed your seat in CCS!’_

You smile down at the photo and admire your work, the people around you walking by, unaware of your little success, they barely glance at you as they continue on the daily schedule. Letting out a sigh, you look up from your camera and almost shit yourself. Your subject - the detective - was now swiftly making his way towards you, politely halting traffic and settling panic in the pit of your stomach. You freeze up like a deer in headlights and all your left to do is look at him with wide eyes as he gets closer and closer and closer until -

“Excuse me. But did you just take my photo?” Shit his voice was smoother than butter. You gulp. He looks at you with curious eyes rather than the angry ones you were expecting.

“Uhh well maybe - that depends, how did you even hear that?” ' _Ok shit don’t panic, don’t make any sudden movements. It’s just a picture.'_  'Slow Ride' plays from the earbuds hanging around your neck, ironic considering your heart rate. You look up at him and lean back onto the leather seat of your moped. Fuck being short right about now.

“I hear at a frequency of 30 Hrz, I heard the shutter from across the street and saw you were the only one with a camera. May I see it?”

Now _that_ caught you off guard.

“The photo? Sure, sure.” You pass him your baby and he gently takes it from you and looks at the photo like its a piece of evidence. “I thought it was a cool shot - I mean your whole look. You look straight out of a Noir or something. And I just thought your pose was really expressive. Im working on a photoset actually of uh cops...” He hums, letting you know he’s still listening, his eyebrows slightly knitted together. “You’re not going to confiscate that right?”

“Not at all. You did nothing wrong.” He looks at you slightly amused, to your relief.

“Thanks, I’m really proud of that honestly..” you admit feeling a bit more comfortable, “What do you think?”

“It’s intriguing, I don’t believe I’ve had my photo taken this way before. I’d say I like it.” He smiles, his full attention on you. You click off your radio and nervously smile back, not looking him in his eyes.

“That’s a relief, when I take candids and get caught people are usually not as nice about it.” you chuckle and notice he’s looking back at the picture now with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Is there any way you could send this to me? I’d like to have it… and I think my partner would find it amusing.” Looking at you again and this time you notice his eyes are just as chocolate-y looking as his hair. You almost swoon.

“Of-Of course!” you pat around your pockets. “I have uh a card somewhere here actually-”

“Connor! Get the hell back over here! The kid ain’t apart of this crime scene!” A older man calls from a window in the building before you, you wince. Just as you find a spare ‘business’ card. Connor calls back to him quickly and looks back to you.

“That’s my partner!” He says with a smile. 

“Ah, shit I hope I didn’t get you in any trouble. Active crime scene and all.” You hold out your card to him. “I do freelance sometimes too, heh. Feel free to text me for the picture whenever you’re not busy and all” You rush your words, for his sake.

“I’ll make sure to do that.” His LED flashes a warm yellow for a split second before returning to a cool blue. “I have to get back to the Lieutenant. But it was a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N).” Hearing his voice say your name catches you by surprise but you realize he probably scanned your face or card or something. You watch him jog back and pass the yellow tape.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so it begins. lost sleep over this but had fun. i dont have a good track record of continuing fics (or being a great writer imo) but i hope i can do good on this. i have a vague timeline planned out so lets hope! please leave your comments and feed back as id love to hear what you think


	2. May 17th

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heres your dreamy playlist if anyone wants to listen to the music youd be hearing in this chapter. or say i have shit taste. thats ok too! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn3Cr99uIwPA0QZOFzOqHBvgnBdVgwmqN 
> 
> hope yall enjoy some good texting dailogue . also i experimented w formatting please lmk if its a bit overbearing?

 

> **Midtown, Casa de (Y/N)**
> 
> **10:15 P.M**

You fiddle with your keys, juggling a bag of food your boss, Norma, graciously let you take home. Successfully getting the key in you twist the handle, immediately sighing, dropping your keys on the table and hurrying to your room.

“Turn on the striplights.”

The room fills with a neon purple glow and you huff as you lay your bags on your bed before plopping yourself down and enjoying the feeling of finally being home.

“Play my ‘ _Dreamy_ ’ playlist.”

The soft vocals of Robert Smith pulls you in and your eyes close, tempting you with sleep. Letting yourself indulge for a minute you smile to yourself before reluctantly standing and changing out of your work clothes. Pajamas now on and feeling exceptionally comfy, you pull out your camera and grab your food, walking to your desktop. Connecting your camera you wait for your computer to recognize it while you dig into your grub.

You’re munching on a fry when you open up your camera’s gallery and skim through your recent photos checking them over one last time. You want your portfolio be perfect when you apply, no excuses.

The chime of your phone breaks your focus.

> **ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɴᴜᴍʙᴇʀ** : Hello, (Y/N), I’m sorry for the delay, I was hoping to contact you sooner.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : who is this state your name and business stranger.
> 
> **ᴜɴᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ɴᴜᴍʙᴇʀ** : This is Connor. You took a picture of me, I wanted a copy of it and you gave me your card to get in touch with you.

_‘YOU IDIOT! Of course it’s him! How could you forget him?!_

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : oh shit ʏᴏᴜ: i am so sorry
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : It’s not a problem.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : ill send the pic over right away one second
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : here it is ! i hope you like it, imo its one of my best works (File Sent)
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : Thank you, what makes you say that?
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I just found your website online. I think your previous works are just as admirable. You have quite the distinct style. I like it.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : wow! Well im glad you like it! I guess at the end of the day i am my own harshest critic heh.
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I also seemed to have found your personal blog. You like film, video games, and music, correct?

A nervous shiver goes down your spine. How could you forget you linked your personal blog on your site. Silly. You had a lot of personal posts on there and if he looked hard enough he’d see that you were actually… quite pathetic, sad, lonely and desperate and-

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : HAA YEA.. THATS ME HEH…. FILM GAMES AND MUSIC…
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : You also seem to strongly dislike the system and the establishment. I also noticed that you heavily criticize the police force. There are many pro-android posts dating back to around the time of the revolution, heavily criticizing the DPD.

Well shit.

Besides the fact that a _FUCKING ANDROID SUPER-COP_ knew you didn't love cops now, the fact that he went that far back to the revolution? 2038 was an incredibly dark year, depression reared it’s ugly face back into your life after you moved out. On top of that you were dealing with some serious ‘L word that shant be spoken’ issues. And you certainly didn’t hold back on venting publicly to your followers about it. Not for any support, just to scream into the void, really. On the bright side, at least, if he did see those posts (that you really should delete, they’re embarrassing.) he didn't bother to mention it.

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : mm ya… you could say im not the biggest fan of how police have been known to treat people.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : What about androids?

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : thats what i said. besides i personally think making that distinction is inconvenient nowadays.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I see. You’re aware I am an android and a cop, correct? Before I became a deviant I was hunting deviant androids.

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : sure am! and before you deviated i assume those things were out of your control, am i correct, officer?

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I suppose...

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : my point exactly ;) cant blame a person for somethng they cant control. 

His message window flickers between typing and not typing for a second.You wonder if you somehow have stumped him… or maybe he was lagging. Maybe the DPD has Comcast.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I see… However, I find it interesting that you dislike the police, yet your working on a photo set where the main subject is police

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : hey hey… just bc i dont necessarily like the police doesnt mean i cant appreciate the aesthetic. Plus ive watched one too many cop shows.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : The aesthetic? I see…

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : Would you go down to the station and take pictures there, if you had the chance?

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : if i wouldnt get in trouble immediately than for sure, why?

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : This weekend, the DPD is having a retirement party for the Chief of police, and we are in need of a photographer. You could also get some pictures for the photo set your working on as well.

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : oh... well sure as long as i get to sample the food table and they dont talk to me lol

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : Of course! I’ll let the Captain know and I’ll send you the details.

Connor sends you an image of a flier covered with stock images of party hats and confetti.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

**CHIEF CRAIG’S FAREWELL CELEBRATION**

**Saturday evening 6-8 P.M.**

**All officers and PD members welcome.**

**1301, 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI, 48226**

**︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵**

Alright, Saturday worked. You had the morning shift at the diner and it gave you enough time to get home and prepare your equipment. Another message from Connor catches your attention.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : (Y/N), what are your rates?  
>  **ʏᴏᴜ** :  sure! its about 30$ an hour
> 
> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I see, so your website was correct. May I ask why you’re underselling yourself? The average rate for a professional freelance photographer is around 50-100$ an hour.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** :  oh uhhhh…
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** :  hm… i dont really see myself as ‘professional’ tbh  

His next massage comes instantly, without hesitation.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : I disagree with your observation, you’re photography, by all standards, falls under professionalism. And I agree with that fact, myself.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : sure your not just biased bc i took a bangin pic of u? Lmao

His typing stutters again.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : Positive.  
>  **ʏᴏᴜ** :  alright whatever u say ‘con

_More_ stuttering.

> **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : In any case, it’s getting late. You should rest.
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** :  yaaa your right. Im gonna pass out tbh. See ya saturday  
>  **ᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴘ (ᴄᴏɴɴᴏʀ)** : See you Saturday, goodnight, (Y/N)

You shut off your phone and plug it in to charge next to your bed, sliding under the covers think of the party, Connor and feel excited. A party should be fun, considering the last one you’ve been too was when you were 7. Who knows maybe a room full of cops won’t be as miserable as you expect. Wrapping the blanket tightly around yourself you fall asleep soundly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof ok so that was a lot of conversation but i hope you guys enjoyed it anyway!! i had fun writin it so atleast theres that aaa. i honestly didnt want their dialogue to go on this long but i hit a good wave and went with it. originally this was supposed to be a big chapter of this scene and the party and a bit extra but i guess im splitting that up aaa anyway enjoy ! thank you for reading!!! please lmk what you think!!!


	3. May 20th

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E its been a hot sec, ive been working on this chapter and its super long rn so i decided to split it just bc i really wanted to get something out there instead of leaving u guys hanging ahhh. and just to show im still alive ;-; im so sorry for the wait and if this feels unfulfilling or incomplete. the second half shouldbe coming in a bit, hopefully not as long as this one took

**Midtown, The Double R**

**10:25 A.M**

 

The remainder of the week came and went and before you knew it, Saturday was here. You had clocked in to work with the tiniest spark of anticipation in your belly. You were looking forward to this party, it having been a decent chunk of time since you last had a freelance gig; Besides being in need of cash desperately, you had the opportunity to work on your personal portfolio, and your  _ ‘Behind Yellow Tape’  _ set. Everything was finally starting to fall in place and at this rate, you could submit your portfolio to your dream school and make it into the winter semester for sure. Trust in the universe and she shall deliver, right?

 

Unfortunately, the universe was feeling like delivering you with boredom today.

 

Hands leaning on the brightly colored counter, your eyes strain to look up at the clock hanging on the wall across from you. Only 5 minutes until you get to clock out; then it’s party time. Well. Mostly. You needed to stop by your local electronics store for some equipment, first. There was no way you were entering that station without a spare pack of batteries and all the memory you could hold. After, you needed to get home, and get the rest of your supplies. Then and only then will it be party time. 

 

“Waitress! Can I get a refill on my coffee, please?” The customer’s voice tears you away from counting the minutes. You grit your teeth and hold back the curse sitting at the back of your throat. 

 

“Of course, Sir!” Scurrying over, pot of warm coffee in hand, you top him off with a forced smile. “Would you like anything else?” 

 

_ ‘Please say no, please say no please say no.’ _

 

“Actually, now that you mention it, can I get a slice of Norma’s amazing cherry pie?” 

 

“Of course… right away, sir.” Dejected, you make your way to the small display case rested on the counter. ‘Homemade Daily!’ the illuminated  in playful font. Aside the case, wiping down the counter is Norma herself. Her blonde waves cascading over her sharp face, bouncing slightly with the movement. She was old enough to be your mother but people often thought you were sisters. However, as cute as it was, you got tired of men asking you: ‘When does your big sister gets off.’ and ‘Is your sister single?’

 

Glancing up from her cleaning, she gives you a knowing look. 

 

“You wanna leave don’t you, darlin’? She asks and you nod your head, giving her puppy eyes.

 

“After you serve that gentleman you’re free to go~.” 

 

“I was honestly starting to think you were going to keep me here forever.” You joke, cutting a piece of pie and plopping it on a plate.

 

“And pay you overtime? Pfft.” She giggles as you walk to the customer with haste. You’re gone before he even has a chance to say thank you. Heading into the backroom you change out of your work clothes and clock out. Bag strapped to one shoulder, you rush to the door with a quick wave ‘Goodbye.” 

 

Hopping on your moped you make your way down midtown, directed towards your next stop and your favorite place in the world. ‘Old World Electronics.’

 

Just as you’re speeding away, past your knowledge a dark brown car pulls up to the Double R. Inside sits Lieutenant Anderson, to his right, Connor, looking as clean as ever. Hank steps out of the car, Connor following closely behind as they make their way into the diner. Norma greets them with a warm smile, tucking the cloth in her waist. 

 

“Hello! Welcome to the Double R, what can I get for you two?” 

 

“Uh- We… put in an order for a couple ‘a pies yesterday? “ 

 

“Oh I remember of course! They’re almost done baking actually. How about you both sit down and get something to eat while you wait?” She says enthusiastically, motioning her hand to a free both near the window. “Sit, sit!” 

 

Hank looks to Connor who’s looking around the retro styled diner. A quick scan shows that it was established in the early 2010’s, however, it takes on the style of a diner way before its time. 

 

“Alright then…” Hank mutters, making his way to the booth. As they sit Connor quickly speaks up. 

 

“I think now would be a great time to talk about the case-.” 

 

A young girl walks over with two glasses of water and menus. “I'll be right with you in a moment.” She says before quickly tending to another customer. 

 

“The victim was Maria Coddwell, I believe she might have been executed. However her body showed signs of sexual and physical abuse.” 

 

“How’d you figure that one out?” Hank skims the menu, seemingly unphased aside from quirk of his eyebrow. 

 

“The victim’s knees and elbows were burnt most likely from the carpet. In the apartment there was a chunk of hair laying on the ground which belonged to the victim. I also believe there were two men present.There were two sets of prints at the crime scene. One on the door and one on the burner phone we found.” 

 

“Jesus…So she was abused, but why kill her?” He glances up from the menu.

 

“I’m not sure, there was also indents around the victim’s wrists and ankles. She was tied up for quite some time before the assault.” 

 

The young waitress comes trodding back. “So are you ready to order, or would you like a few minutes?” 

 

“Yeah I’ll just have the Turkey Club and a coffee.” 

 

The waitress smiles and puts the order in through a small tablet before attending to the new lunch crowd. 

 

“Im happy to see your trying to eat healthier, Hank.” Connor smiles. 

 

“Yeah yeah, finish what you were saying about the case.” 

 

“Of course, I have strong reason to believe that this was a punishment, or some sort of hit.” 

 

“Alright, maybe you’re onto something there. What about her family?” 

 

“The husband, Andrew Coddwell, and the two kids, Michael and Sara.” 

 

“Did we find the husband yet?”

 

“No… but the kids did mention that they've heard Andrew leave the house at odd hours of the night...” 

 

“Meeting up with someone?” 

 

“I believe so…” 

 

“We talk to the kids again, see if they have any family friends that might know where he is…” 

 

Their conversation withers off asHanks food arrives along with a stack of pie boxes. 

 

“Hank… would you say this party is a fancy occasion?” 

 

“Hah, definitely not, just wear what you always wear! Why are you asking anyway? Got a hot date or something?” Hank takes a bite out of his sandwich. 

 

“No!” Connor visibly stiffens. “This is the first party I’ll be attending…” 

 

“No shit, you’re right. Don’t have time to go to fancy parties when your hanging around an old man all day, do ya’.? 

 

“I don’t mind at all. You’re my friend, Hank.” 

 

“Well kid,” Hank gets up pulling out a tip, and Connor follows, picking up the stack of boxes. “You need more friends.”

 

**△**

 

Old World Electronics… your resident ‘Happy Place.’ No RadioShack could compare. Best Buy shudders in awe. Walmart pees itself in terror. The store was packed to the brim with vintage and new electronics with unique treasure to find in each visit. One could truly find any type of camera here, and for a good deal at that. The dusty air brings fond memories of digging through your grandparents attic where you found your first camera. Where your love for the craft began. 

 

This was home away from home. 

 

The isles were tight, almost claustrophobic, the shelves packed to the brim with all types of hardware. Modern devices sitting next to decade old beasts. You traverse the congested isles carefully. Eyeing down each piece of equipment with full attention. While you  _ may  _ have had a shopping list, it was always nice to see what new stock Mel got in anyhow. This time, it paid off, you had found something special in Mel’s quaint little shop. You had found a Super 8 film camera. Oh, how you  had longed to film anything and everything, revelling in the beauty of it’s grainy aesthetics. It could make anything look beautiful, to you, 8mm film exposed the world of its true beauty, sending the viewer off into a fantasy land with images not so unfamiliar. 

 

You gently pick up the camera, mouth slightly agape and eyes drinking in the piece of history in your hands. Then you flip the price tag over, and your excitement turns to bliss. 75$. You remember a time where Super 8 had been so sought after, causing them to cost an arm and a leg. And here you are, holding one in your very hands for a quarter of that. Lucky you. 

 

Turning the camera over to its battery compartment you open it. No batteries, of course, what _ were _ you expecting. Scoping out the isle, empty, you plop down on the cool grey floor, camera in your lap, and introduce it to your very modern, very high tech, DSLR. 

 

_ “Sorry to do this to you little buddy, but I’ll need your batteries for just a minute.” _

 

Popping open it’s battery compartment you slip out two AA’s and swiftly transfer them to the Super 8. Now it was time for the moment of truth, to check if the motor ran. You pull in a deep breath and hold it with anticipation… a gentle rumble sounds from the camera. You exhale and give back the batteries you stole from your main camera. 

 

_ “It’s fate, you are mine.”  _

 

Cradling the camera to your chest you finish your rounds around the shop, picking up some essentials and a large box of film for your new friend. With a newfound pep in your step, you make your way to the counter and greet Mel with a smile. 

 

“Christ kid you’re fast, I just got that camera in this week and you already found it.” 

 

“You know it, Mel, I’ve been wanting one of these since I was a kid.”

 

“That’s good, can’t see it going to anyone better than yourself, honestly.” 

 

You smile to yourself at that, and gaze down at the camera resting on the counter. 

 

“Do you happen to do processing and digitizing by any chance? I’ll need it once I finally get to filming with this bad boy.” 

 

“We sure do! Just drop off the film and we’ll have it done quicker than anywhere else!” He boasts, ringing up your items.

 

You notice your total, 98.50$, and furrow your brows. That’s..oddly cheap. 

 

“Hey uh, I think you forgot to ring up the film?” 

 

“Don’t worry about it, consider it on the house, exclusively for my most loyal customer.” 

 

Shocked, you double check to which he confirms that yes, you were just getting a buttload of film for free. 

 

Bagging your items, he wishes you good luck and you shout a ‘Thanks!’ back at him as you leave the store and hop on your moped. 

 

As you cruise you think on the party, being in a room full of people who you held such a strong grudge over. Unpleasant memories of how this came to be dig themselves up as they have so many times before.

 

They hurt you, hurt your mother, took your father’s side and fell for his manipulation all to similar to how your mother once did. She was the one who made the call for christ’s sake! She was being hurt and they just - just left like nothing was wrong. If they only knew of what actually went on inside that home they visited that day. If they only knew… You’d like to think that a few of your years would have been saved from living in fear and pain.

 

Pulling over, clenching your eyes to fight back tears. You felt nothing but resentment. Resentment for your father, for the police. You felt guilty for not being able to do more for your mother, for being under your father’s spell for so long. A silent sob escapes you and you shake. Wiping away invisible tears out of pure habit. With a deep breath you pull out your phone with trembling hands. 

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : mom?
> 
> **ᴍᴏᴍ❤** : hi baby! Is everything alright?
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : im thinking about stuff again, i just wanted to know if you were okay
> 
> **ᴍᴏᴍ❤** : everything is fine, im okay, honey… are you okay? did you work today?
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : i got off early, im alright… i have a gig taking pictures today for the police, it just made me think about things again thats all
> 
> **ᴍᴏᴍ❤** : do you need me to come down? I can leave early and be there by  in the evening I could even bring you dinner and we can watch some movies!

You giggle to yourself, you admired your mother so much. She was so strong considering all she went through, and here you were, a mess of emotions. That didn’t matter though, you were just glad she was still here. 

> **ʏᴏᴜ** : ah… thats when the party is, i wish we could. maybe its better though, i dont want you to miss work.maybe when you have a day off? 
> 
> **ᴍᴏᴍ❤** : alright honey, just let me know if you need anything at all, please… 
> 
> **ʏᴏᴜ** : i will dont worry, i dont plan on staying too long… omw home rn though 
> 
> **ᴍᴏᴍ❤** : thats good, im glad, ill let you get home then <3 i love you!!
> 
>  

Finally feeling grounded, you pocket your phone, pausing for a moment to yourself before starting the engine again. 


End file.
